I will lose Friends if I stand up for the Earth

It has been raining a lot here and we went out to play in it. The boys were putting their rubber duck down the run off while I was picking up plastic pieces in the parking lot. Collin asked what I was doing and I told him I was picking up the plastic toy pieces that a car ran over. He said, “A car did not run over, my friend through it and broke it.” I asked why he did not say something or pick it up and he said, “Mom I don’t want to lose anymore friends because I am trying to save the earth.” My heart hurt and I wanted to yell but all I could do was ask him what he meant. He said he had lost a friend once when he stood up for his brother.

As a parent, I wish I could just tell him this all insane and they are not true friends and the earth is worth losing all your friends for, but for him, friends are super important right now, he is 9. Instead I just listen and later remind him about the importance of the earth and projecting it.

Beginners Tip:

When your child tells you something hard to hear, try just to hear it. Then model the behavior you would like to see within them.